Coal-winning apparatus



Aprii 23, 1968 ERWlEN ET AL COAL-WINNING APPARATUS Filed July 14, 1966 F/GZ INVENTOPS: HELMUT ERWIEN RULF ALTFELUER BY EWALB BURGER 8W, 2 San? HTT R A/E/J United States Patent 0 3,379,476 COAL-WINNING APPARATUS Helmut Erwien, Lunen, Westphalia, Rolf Altfelder, Lunen-Horstmar, and Ewald Biirger, Nordkirchen, Germany, assignors to Gewerkschaft Eisenhutte Westphalia, Wethmar, near Lunen, Westphalia, Germany, a corporation of Germany Filed July 14, 1966, Ser. No. 565,153 Claims priority, application Germany, July 21, 1965, G 44.216 8 Claims. (Cl. 299-34) This invention relates in general to a mineral winning apparatus, and more particularly to a winning apparatus for the conveyor-less mining of coal in steep beddings and on slanting faces of varying thickness, which is adaptable for unmanned operation without the use of props, and features elastic elements for varying the points of attack of cutter tools carried on a pair of planer bodies, so as to adapt the position of such cutting tools to the thickness of the mine face.

Essentially, the mineral winning apparatus of the invention provides a pair of planer bodies disposed for movement in unison back and forth along the length of a mine face, these planer bodies being arranged in vertically superposed relation to each other between the mine roof and the mine floor. The lower of these planer bodies is disposed for movement in sliding contact engagement with the mine floor and bears a cutter means positioned for extractive engagement with the mine face to remove mineral therefrom along the lower portion thereof extending down to the mine floor. The upper of these planer bodies is disposed for movement in sliding cont-act engagement with the mine roof and bears a cutter means positioned for extractive engagement with the mine face to remove mineral therefrom along the upper portion thereof extending up to the mine roof. The planer bodies are urged apart and into respective sliding engagement with the mine roof and mine floor by a spring means, preferably a pair of sigma-shaped leaf springs connected to each planer body. The spring means thus serves to guide the movement of the planer bodies along the mine roof and floor, and to adjust continuously the vertical spacing between their associated cutting means to follow variations in the mine seam thickness.

Various winning machines "are known which are of elastic or adjustable construction for adaptation to variations of the working face, and which are designed to keep the cutting tools constantly working into the coal face.

These machines work, as a rule, parallel to the plane of the coal seam and perpendicularly against the coal face, and feature elastic or adjustable members braced on one side against prop frames and coal plane guidin tubes, or the like, arranged on the other side against the body of the coal winning machine.

In an apparatus of this type which is supported against the planer guide tube, slight irregularities in the mine floor are sometimes compensated by vertically acting springs.

Also in the prior *art are plane-like winning machines that are carried on a conveyor, such machines consisting generally of a plurality of planer bodies disposed in tandem in the direction of travel along the mine face, and including between them additional cutting tools which Patented Apr. 23, 1968 score the upper stratum and which are constructed with spring elements so as to yield elastically in height. These spring-loaded tools, which are inserted between the two planer bodies, are arranged to run at the mine roof height ordinarily, but can be used only in conjunction with a long wall conveyor means, and are not suitable for the conveyor-less winning of coal in steep beds.

A plane-like apparatus guided on an adjustable guiding framework has been proposed for use in steep bed mining operations. This apparatus is designed to cut into the mine seam substantially at the middle thereof, and adapts itself to the changing thickness of the seam by means of elastic members in the guiding framework which make it capable of yielding in height. While this particular apparatus is suitable for conveyor-less mining, it is not satisfactory for unmanned and prop-less mining, particularly on slanting faces, because such proposed apparatus requires a type of guidance which can basically be provided only by propping.

For the conveyor-less winning of coal in steep beds, and especially on slanting faces, rigid ripping cutter bodies are generally used. These produce a relatively narrow cut and are pulled back and forth along the mine face on an endless chain. However, because of their narrow and elongated construction, they are capable of cutting into only relatively small width portions of a seam and cannot be used for winning the complete seam. This problem cannot be remedied by increasing the cutting width of such ripping cutters because there is danger of jamming, particularly in cases where the mine seam thickness varies widely.

In unmanned mining operations, the correction of jamming troubles is extremely difiicult on account of the inaccessibility of the working face in such seams. Attempts have heretofore been made to construct the aforementioned type of ripping cutters with a limited pivoting capability with respect to the pulling means for the purpose of eliminating jamming. This, however, does not offer any possibility of making the winning apparatus adaptable for conveyor-less and unmanned operation in varying thickness seams.

It is the purpose of the invention to eliminate the aforementioned disadvantages of prior art winning machines, and to provide a wining apparatus which is self-adapting to the mine seam thickness and suitable for unmanned and conveyor-less mining operations. Furthermore, the invention provides a winning apparatus that assures the winning of the complete seam with cutter tools that can be arranged to attack the entire mine face area from the roof to the floor.

The invention provides a winning apparatus which is so constructed and arranged to prevent any tipping by reason of its own weight toward the waste side of the mine seam, so that the full pressure of the cutter tools is always exerted against the mine face even at the roof area.

The invention accomplishes its purpose of providing a winning apparatus for the conveyorless winning of coal in steep bedding, especially on slanting faces of varying thickness, for unmanned and propless operation, by utilizing elastic elements which vary the point of attack of the winning tools and adapt their cutting action to the seam thickness. The winning apparatus of the invention has at least two substantially equal cutting tool holding planer bodies disposed one over the other between the roof and the floor, and spaced apart so as to follow the mine roof and floor contour established by the seam thickness without contacting eachv other.

The planer bodies are coupled to each other by means of elastic elements bridging the free space between them. These elastic elements can advantageously be so constructed that, in the case of maximum seam thickness, the winning tools of the upper and lower planer bodies respectively cut directly at the roof and at the floor, so that the coal between these winning tools collapses of its own weight, and that in the case of minimum seam thickness the facing ends of the tool holding bodies just barely contact one another.

According to another feature of the invention, the winning apparatus has two substantially equal cutting tool holding planer bodies disposed in a mirror-image relationship to one another, and disposed one over the other in such a manner that cutter tools of the upper planer body attack the mine face in the area of the roof and the cutter tools of the lower planer body attack the mine face in the area of the floor, the two planer bodies being coupled with one another by means of leaf springs attached to their outer extremities. According to the invention, therefore, the leaf springs engage those areas of the planer bodies which are farthest removed from one another, so that the planer bodies can oscillate freely between the roof and the floor during the winning operation by utilizing the elastic action of the leaf springs.

The leaf springs attached to the outside ends of the tool holding planer bodies are advantageously given the shape of a sigma in such a manner that their reentrant portions face one another. This arrangement assures a spring excursion that will be sufficient for adaptation to the varying seam thicknesses.

The roof plate of the one tool holding body and the floor plate of the other tool holding body, according to another feature of the invention, constitute the elements which join the leaf springs, and bear on the coal face side of the leaf springs the cutting tool holding body and the lugs for attaching the pulling chain, and bear on the waste side of the leaf springs the means for guiding the return flight of the chain. Thus, one pulling and one return flight of chain is associated with each planer body, the chain tension being expediently kept constant by a tensioning means provided in the drift. The winning apparatus is prevented from tipping towards the waste side by the arrangement of the four flights of chain and the equalization of the tension in the chains.

According to another feature of the invention, the free space remaining between the planer bodies is approximately the same as the spring excursion. Any plastic deformation of the spring element is thus securely prevented, because even if the winning apparatus is vibrating and bumping severely in operation, the facing surfaces of the planer bodies abut against one another and the spring cannot be stressed beyond the tolerable limit.

To withstand the forces of reaction transmitted from the working face through the cutting tools and the tool holding planer bodies to the spring element, the facing ends of each planer body, according to another feature of the invention, are slidingly supported against the spring element. The high moment of resistance produced by the reentrant portion of the leaf spring in this case prevents to a suflicient extent any deviation from the working face on the part of the cutting tools disposed in the area of the facing surfaces of the planer bodies.

The special advantage of the invention is seen in the fact that, by the contact of the winning apparatus with the roof and with the floor, and under the effect of the chain pulling force and of the spring elements coupling the planer bodies, a constant swinging of the tool holding bodies toward and away from one another is brought about, which has an aiding effect on the coal cutting process. The sliding shoe-like construction of the leaf springs in the area of the roof and floor in this case has a favorable effect when cutting through narrow seam cross sections.

It is therefore, an object of the invention. to provide a mineral winning apparatus of the planer type which is adaptable to the conveyorless mining of coal.

Another object of the invention is to provide a winning apparatus as aforesaid which is suited for use in unmanned mining operations.

A further object of the invention is to provide a Winning apparatus as aforesaid which can be operated effectively in steep coal beds having slanting faces of varying thickness.

A further object of the invention is to provide a winning apparatus as aforesaid which features a pair of superposed planer bodies arranged to carry cutter tools positioned for mineral extraction over the complete mine face area, from the floor to the roof thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide a winning apparatus as aforesaid wherein the planer bodies are urged apart by a spring means such that the cutters borne by one planer body follow the contour of the mine roof and those borne by the other planer body follows the contour of the mine floor to accommodate for variations in mine seam thickness.

A further object of theinvention is to provide a winning apparatus as aforesaid which prevents any shifting of the planer bodies away from the mine face such as would impair the effective action of their cutting tools.

Still another and further object of the invention is to provide a winning apparatus as aforesaid in which the planer bodies are arranged to preclude any plastic deformation of the spring means which urges them apart.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevation view of a mineral winning apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the invention as seen from the mine face looking perpendicular to the drection of itstravel therealong;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the Winning apparatus shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the winning apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Referring now to the drawings, the winning apparatus 1 includes a pair of planer type tool-holding bodies 4 and 4', each of which bear cutting tools 5, and a pair of leaf-spring elements 7 and 7' connecting the two planer bodies 4, 4. The spring elements 7, 7 are of such size that the shoe base plates 10, 10 of the planer bodies 4, 4' are urged against the mine fioor 3 and the mine roof 2 respectively. The leaf springs 7 and 7' are approximately sigma-shaped and arranged with their reentrant 9 and 9' respectively facing one another in the area of the free space 6 between the planer bodies 4 and 4'.

The planer bodies 4 and 4' are arranged for movement in unison back and forth along the length of the mine face in vertically superposed relation to each other between the mine roof 2 and the mine floor 3. The lower planer body 4 is disposed for movement with its base plate 10 in sliding contact engagement with the mine floor 3,

and the upper planer body 4is disposed for movement with its base plate 10 in sliding cont-act engagement with the mine roof 2. The cutter tools 5 carried by each of the planer bodies 4 and 4 are positioned for extractive engagement with the mine face F to remove mineral therefrom over the complete area thereof from the floor 3 up to the roof 2. Ordinarily, the cutter tool 5 carried by the lower planer body 4 will be positioned to remove mineral from the mine face F along the lower portion thereof extending down to the floor 3, whereas the cutter tools 5 carried by the upper planer body 4' will be positioned to remove mineral from along the upper portion of the mine face F extending up to the mine roof 2.

While Within the general contemplation of the invention, any suitable motive means can be employed for moving the planer bodies 4 and 4' and their connecting springs 7 and 7' back and forth along the mine face F, a chain drive type of motive means is expediently provided. This chain drive means has one pulling flight chain section 12 and one return flight chain section 14 associated with each planer body 4, 4'. The pulling flight sections 12 are secured to mooring lugs 11 and 11 preferably connected to each base plate member 10, along the mine face side thereof, whereas the return flight sections 14 are guided in tubular guide members 13 and 13' preferably connected to each base plate 10, 10' along the waste side thereof.

Although a variety of spring element 7, 7'-to-planer body 4, 4' connection arrangements can be used in the practice of the invention, it is preferable to connect the planer bodies 4 and 4 at their outside ends 8, 8' respectively by attaching the outer legs of leaf springs 7, 7 to base plates 10, 10.

During the operation of the Winning apparatus 1, as for example in extracting coal along the length of the mine face F, the leaf springs 7 and 7' will urge the planer bodies apart and continuously adjust the vertical spacing between their associated cutter tools 5 so as to follow variations in the mine seam thickness up to a predetermined maximum thickness established by the free height of said leaf springs 7 and 7', and down to a predetermined minimum seam thickness established by the vertical spacing etween the outer surface of each base plate It 10 and a corresponding surface 15, 15 on the planer bodies 4 and 4 respectively. The surface 15 on the upper portion of the lower planer body 4 and the surface 15' on the lower portion of the upper planer body 4' are arranged to confront each other to limit the displacement of said planer bodies 4 and 4' together in the vertical direction so as to prevent over-stressing of leaf springs 7 and 7 should it be attempted to operate the winning apparatus 1 in a mine seam of less than such predetermined minimum thickness. It should be noted that the term vertical as used herein is intended to designate a direction which is generally perpendicular to both the mine roof 2 and the mine floor 3, and is not necessarily restricted to the case where the mine seam extends horizontally in the gravitational sense. In general, whether the mine seam extends upwardly or downwardly at an in clination to the earth reference horizontal, the invention provides a winning apparatus 1 in which the spacing of the planer bodies 4 and 4 is adjusted along a direction transverse to the direction of their movement along the mine face. During the operation of the winning apparatus 1, the planer bodies 4 and 4' are able to approach each other no further than is permitted by contact between their facing surfaces 15 and 15', and as the planer bodies 4 and 4' approach each other, they are slidably guided as at 16 against the reentrant portions 9, 9' of the leaf springs 7 and 7'.

The planer bodies 4 and 4 are preferably made similar in construction but arranged in a mirror-image relation to each other with a vertical spacing 6 between their confronting surfaces 15 and 15 so as to allow a limited freedom of movement for said planer bodies 4 and 4' toward each other against the influence of the leaf springs 7 and 7 as necessary in traversing mine seams of varying thickness. Preferably, the planer bodies 4 and 4' are arranged for a maximum separation 6 corresponding approximately to the elastic excursion of leaf springs 7 and 7'. In this way, the surfaces 15 and 15' will abut each other to prevent further compression of the leaf springs 7 and 7 beyond their elastic excursion limit.

The winning apparatus 1 is prevented from tipping away from the mine face F by the arrangement of the four chain flight sections, i.e., the two pulling sections 12 and the two return sections 14, which are preferably of equalized tension. By slidably supporting each planer body 4 and 4' against the leaf springs 7 and 7', the high moment of resistance produced by the reentrant portions 9, 9 of said leaf springs 7, 7 prevents any significant deviation of the cutting tools 5 from their intended extractive engagement with the mine face F. Thus, the invention provides a winning apparatus 1 which is both stabilized against tipping away from the mine face F and which provides suitable bracing for the cutting tools 5 against the effects of mine face F reaction forces to provide more effective cutting action.

It will be appreciated that the instant specification and drawings are set forth by way of illustration and not limitation, and that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention which is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A mineral winning apparatus which comprises a pair of planer bodies disposed for movement in unison back and forth along the length of a mine face in vertically superposed relation to each other between the mine roof and the mine floor, the lower of said planer bodies being disposed for movement in sliding contact engagement with the mine floor and for hearing a cutter means positioned for extractive engagement with the mine face to remove mineral therefrom along the lower portion thereof extending down to the mine floor, the upper of said planer bodies being disposed for movement in sliding contact engagement with the mine roof and for bearing a cutter means positioned for extractive engagement with the mine face to remove mineral therefrom along the upper portion thereof extendin up to the mine roof, and spring means operatively connected to each of said planer bodies to urge them apart and into respective sliding engagement with the mine floor and mine roof for gui ance thereby and to adjust continuously the vertical spacing between their associated cutter means to follow variations in the mine seam thickness.

2. The mineral winning apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said spring means includes a pair of sigma-shaped leaf springs disposed in opposite facing relation to each other'and each connected at their outer legs to said planer bodies for parallel elastic action in a substantially vertical plane to urge said planer bodies apart from each other into respective sliding contact engagement with the mine floor and mine roof along a direction approximately perpendicular to the mine roof and floor and substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement of said planer bodies.

3. The mineral winning apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said planer bodies are similar and are arranged in a vertically spaced separated relation to each other to allow a limited freedom of movement for said planer bodies toward each other in the vertical direction against the influence of the leaf springs in traversin mine seams of varying thickness.

4. The mineral Winning apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said sigma-shaped leaf springs are connected to the planer bodies in substantially symmetrical relation to the vertical movement path thereof and with the reentrant portions of said leaf springs directed toward each other.

5. The mineral winning apparatus according to claim 4 wherein each planer body includes a base plate memher, the base plate member of the lower planer body being disposed for sliding contact engagement with the mine floor, and the base plate member of the upper planer body being disposed for sliding contact engagement with the mine roof.

6. The mineral winning apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the planer bodies are arranged for a maximum vertical separation corresponding approximately to the elastic excursion of said leaf springs.

7. The mineral winning apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said planer bodies have portions facing each other disposed for sliding contact engagement with the 7 reentrant portions of said sigma-shaped leaf springs for guidance thereby to maintain said planer bodies in vertically superposed alignment.

8. The mineral winning apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said sigma-shaped leaf springs are connected to the base plate members of said planer bodies, and including mooring means connected to each base plate member along the mine face side thereof and disposed for connection to the tensioned flight section of a chain drive means for moving said planer bodies back and forth along the mine face, and a guide member connected to each base plate member along the Waste side thereof and disposed for guiding engagement with the return flight section of such chain drive means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,073,581 1/1963 Lobhe 299-34 3,178,229 4/1965 Lobbe 299-34 FOREIGN PATENTS 850,882 9/1952 Germany.

ERNEST R. PURSER, Primary Examiner. 

1. A MINERAL WINNING APPARATUS WHICH COMPRISES A PAIR OF PLANAR BODIES DISPOSED FOR MOVEMENT IN UNISON BACK AND FORTH ALONG THE LENGTH OF A MINE FACE IN VERTICALLY SUPERPOSED RELATION TO EACH OTHER BETWEEN THE MINE ROOF AND THE MINE FLOOR, THE LOWER OF SAID PLANAR BODIES BEING DISPOSED FOR MOVEMENT IN SLIDING CONTACT ENGAGEMENT WITH THE MINE FLOOR AND FOR BEARING A CUTTER MEANS POSITIONED FOR EXTRACTIVE ENGAGEMENT WITH THE MINE FACE TO REMOVE MINERAL THEREFROM ALONG THE LOWER PORTION THEREOF EXTENDING DOWN TO THE MINE FLOOR, THE UPPER OF SAID PLANER BODIES BEING DISPOSED FOR MOVEMENT IN SLIDING 